U.S. Soccer CoachesNet Announces Plans for Two Educational Trips in 2011

Aug 3, 2010

â€¢ Coaches Will Travel to Brazil in March, Followed by Trip to Germany in May â€¢ Confirmation of Travel Dates, Pricing and Registration Available in Late Summer â€¢ Registration is Open to All Coaches â€¢ â€œAâ€ License Coaches Earn Eight Continuing Education Credits

CHICAGO (August 3, 2010) â€“ In an effort to continue providing unique coaching opportunities to its membership, U.S. Soccerâ€™s CoachesNet announces plans to offer educational trips to Brazil and Germany in 2011.

Entering its third year, the aim of U.S. Soccerâ€™s international coaching education program is to expose U.S. coaches to other federations and clubs to learn the steps they take to develop their coaches and players. Attendees interact directly with top-level coaches, administrators and players from some of the best clubs and countries in the world.

Scheduled to take place March 18-25, 2011, coaches will visit five-time FIFA World Cup Champion Brazil, host of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. While in Rio de Janeiro, coaches will take part in educational lectures with various professional coaches, visit with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and attend professional training sessions and games.

â€œI am often asked from coaches around the country about our international education trips and what they are all about,â€ says Technical Advisor Juan Carlos Michia. â€œAnd my response is always the same: our trips offer a coach a unique opportunity to visit another country with the U.S. Soccer Federation and learn from some of the best clubs and federations in the world. That was our goal when we began two years ago and it will continue to be our main objective. We want to expose our coaches to different techniques, styles and philosophies so they can continue to grow and develop the game in the U.S.â€

â€œWe have been delighted and fortunate that other federations and professional clubs are willing to share their information with us. Coaches have opportunities but it is not very often a coach has the chance to visit a club like Real Madrid and spend a day watching different age groups train and then speak with their coaches and listen to lectures on how they develop players,â€ says Michia, â€œor to spend four to five hours with the Argentina Football Association (AFA) and learn their coaching philosophy from the U-15s to U-20s.â€

Similar to other trips, coaches visiting Brazil will be afforded the opportunity to visit different clubs in and around Rio de Janeiro. During the week, a majority of time will be spent with clubs Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and the Brazilian Football Confederation.

â€œBrazil is certainly a great soccer country for men and women, futsal or beach. They have a very good domestic league and hundreds of players playing internationally. It is a good time for us to visit. The womenâ€™s team will look to qualify for the 2011 Womenâ€™s FIFA World Cup, the menâ€™s team will be playing in Copa America in July and the country is preparing for the 2014 World Cup,â€ says Michia.

On the second overseas trip scheduled for early May, coaches will have the opportunity to visit three-time FIFA World Cup Champion Germany, host of the 2011 Womenâ€™s World Cup. While in Germany, coaches will take part in educational lectures with various professional coaches, visit the German Football Association (DFB), and attend professional training sessions and games.

The visit to Germany will mark the 40th anniversary of U.S. Soccerâ€™s Coaching Education Program which began under the direction of Dettmar Cramer, a former coach of numerous national teams, including the U.S., and various club teams including Bayern Munich.

â€œGermany was a model that we used when we originally set up our coaching schools back in 1971,â€ says Technical Advisor Mike Dickey. â€œSince that time, Germany has made many advances in youth development, coaching education, philosophy and structure.â€

â€œGermany has found success in a philosophy which starts at the top (senior national teams) and extends all the way to their youth national teams. They coordinate all their work with regional training centers and the regional training centers work directly with the clubs. They are also one of the best when it comes to coaching education. This is a perfect time to take a look at what they are doing and see how we might apply some of their ideas here in the USA,â€ says Dickey.

Both trips offer a unique perspective as the host countries are preparing to host a World Cup. The opportunity to visit either country and study their many successes at the international and club level will be extremely educational and beneficial to all coaches.

â€œWe began offering these types of trips so our coaches could see first-hand how the rest of world is developing its players and coaches. From our time spent in Argentina and Spain, we have been able to learn a great deal. It has been very rewarding,â€ says Michia. â€œI think more than anything during the first two years we have been able to speak to, watch and interact with some great coaches and we look forward to doing it again in 2011.â€

Registration is open to all coaches. Current U.S Soccer â€œAâ€ licensed coaches will earn eight (8) Continuing Education Units for attending.

It is recommended interested coaches visit www.state.gov for more details on traveling to Brazil and Germany.

Since its inception in March 2009, over 110 coaches have traveled internationally with CoachesNet to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Madrid, Spain.

Confirmation of travel dates, registration and pricing will be available in late summer. For additional questions, please contact CoachesNet at coachesnet@ussoccer.org.

Available through ussoccer.com, CoachesNet is devoted to educating its members on U.S. National Team coaching tactics by breaking down games at the highest level, analyzing training sessions and tactics and delving into the keys to preparation.